Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

Tour snapshot

Discover the Dominican Republic through its delicious food on a full-day adventure with a local guide. Explore the sensational Dominican countryside and discover its culinary gems before enjoying a seafood lunch at a traditional restaurant overlooking the ocean. This will be a tasty, fun-filled day you’ll never forget!

Highlights

Take a foodie expedition through the real flavours of the Dominican Republic at its rural best

Explore the colourful and lush countryside of Puerto Plata with a local guide by your side

Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide. We can also provide pick-up for an additional fee from Playa Dorada, Costambar and Puerto Plata city hotels. Please contact us after booking for transfer rates.

We’ll start our food-filled day with energising tropical fruit from a local vendor with the biggest smile in town! The fruit will depend on what’s in season but prepare to be amazed by its exotic flavours and colours. As we eat, your guide will tell you about the typical Dominican fruit breakfast that locals love.

From here, we’ll head over to a delightful community project that produces organic cocoa products, supporting the female workers that are employed there. Here you'll learn about cocoa farming and about the processes that go into making fine organic chocolate, which you will, of course, get to try! You will be equally amazed by the delicious fruit wines they make here too and we thoroughly recommend trying the two together; chocolate and wine is an excellent pairing after all! There are plenty of products here to buy too, all at great prices. They can make wonderful souvenirs or gifts for friends and loved ones.

We’ll continue on to stop at a traditional street food stop that is close to the hearts of many Dominicans: the chicharronera. It’s located in a very rustic place with plenty of atmosphere and here you will sample pork crackling, dried salty pork meat and our Dominican sausage, known as longaniza accompanied by casabe (otherwise known as kassava bread) and a cooling local beer.

After that we’ll take you to try some fresh cheese of the region, including a sample of the oldest and most traditional cheese of the country. We will pair queso de hojas (string cheese) with a much adored molasses bonbon treat, a sweet combination of sugar cane molasses and wheat flour. It’s a combo that’s bound to please cheese fans!

Our food tour will then take us to a popular town that’s well-known for its illustrious seafood restaurants that prepare the fish in the typical Dominican style. We will visit our favourite restaurant and taste a variety of lip-smacking seafood dishes, all of which feature the secret seasoning that Dominican locals love!

After a delicious lunch, we’ll make our way back to Puerto Plata, ending up in the bustling Malecon area, where you can enjoy some much needed relaxation time on the beautiful beach or you could choose to continue your adventure and explore the area. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay.

Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide. We can also provide pick-up for an additional fee from Playa Dorada, Costambar and Puerto Plata city hotels. Please contact us after booking for transfer rates.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: At the meeting point, please look out for your guide who will be wearing a red Urban Adventures’ branded t-shirt. We can’t take responsibility if you take a tour with a guide who is not from Urban Adventures

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

Dietary Notes

We can accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions. Please notify us in advance if you have any dietary requests. You can do so in the ‘Additional information’ box at checkout, or by emailing us at info@puertoplataurbanadventures.com.